Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner early in its career chasing maiden success, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
Three exciting runners are set to debut on the track across New Zealand and Australia on Saturday, including a Toronado (Ire) filly that has looked sharp at the trials racing at Morphettville, A White Robe Lodge home-bred Per Incanto (USA) filly in at Riccarton and a Capitalist two-year-old filly kicks off her career on the Synthetic at the Gold Coast.
Morphettville, Race 2, 12.37pm AEST (12.07pm local), PFD Food Services Mdn P., $50,000, 1050m
Absinthe, 3-year-old filly (Toronado (Ire) x Gem Of Gems {Peintre Celebre} {USA})
Morphettville’s Saturday meeting will serve as the venue for the debut of Absinthe, a well-bred daughter of Toronado (Ire) from the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea stable at Murray Bridge. She showed some promise winning a trial at Murray Bridge impressively over 1000 metres on June 17.
Absinthe is out of Gem Of Gems (Peintre Celebre {USA}), she has unraced on the track but has left seven winners including the high-class mare Precious Gem (Econsul {NZ}). She won eight races and was talented enough to win the G1 Robert Sangster S., and the Listed Anniversary Vase. Gem Of Gems other winners include Geminov (NZ) (Ustinov), Ustodothat (Ustinov), Happy Money (Econsul) who was also Listed placed in Singapore, Consortium (Written Tycoon), Hezagem (All Too Hard) and Always Fluke (Vancouver).
Absinthe as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Some other Group 1-Performers that feature in the pedigree are Alynda (Nassau), Fast ‘N’ Famous (Redoute’s Choice), Altrista (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Turffontein, Penny Gem (NZ) (Pentire{GB}), Hit The Roof (NZ) (Maroof {USA}), Night's Watch (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and Sir Nate (NZ) (Nadeem).
Absinthe was a $160,000 purchase by Trilogy Racing/Clarken Bloodstock from the draft of Willaroon Thoroughbreds from the 2022 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Riccarton, Race 3, 10.55am AEST (12.55pm local), Bain McCall Memorial 2YO., $35,000, 1000m
Moor (NZ), 2-year-old filly (Per Incanto (USA) x Coulee (NZ) {Gallant Guru})
Moor (NZ), a daughter of Little Avondale’s proven stallion Per Incanto (USA) , will be making her debut for Wingatui trainer’s Brian and Shane Anderton at Riccarton on Saturday. She is a genuine White Robe Lodge product with the female-line being bred and raced by B J Anderton ONZM and the Estate of the late L E Anderton.
The well-bred filly is the second foal from the Gallant Guru mare Coulee, who was a ten-time winner from 1200 metres up to 1800 metres including the G3 White Robe Lodge H., and twice winning the South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ S.
Per Incanto (USA) | Standing at Little Avondale Stud
Coulee’s dam Cherry Creek (Monashee Mountain) was an eight-time winner including the Listed Canterbury Belle S. She has then proven to be a handy broodmare leaving the stakes-placed Stella Creek (NZ) (Per Incanto) and the winners Flow Along (NZ) (Ghibellines), Cherryville (Ghibellines) and Jubilation (NZ) (Ghibellines).
Coulee since producing Moor has left yearling and weanling fillies by Ancient Spirit (Ger) and was served by Ghibellines last spring.
Aquis Park Gold Coast Poly, Race 1, 12.34pm, AEST, Mitek QTIS 2YO Mdn P., $30,000, 1050m
Capital Diva, 2-year-old filly (Capitalist x Diva Dee {Encosta De Lago})
The sharply-bred Capital Diva is set to make her debut over 1050 metres for the Gold Coast trainer Gary Doughty on the Gold Coast Poly Track on Saturday..
Capital Diva is a daughter of Newgate Stud Farm's star stallion Capitalist and is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Diva Dee. She didn't manage to win on the track but was very quick placing in the Inglis Banner 2YO (RL), G3 Breeders S., and placing fourth in the G2 Reisling S., and the G3 Maribyrnong P.
Capital Diva as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her dam True Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) was a winner as a juvenile and managed a placing in the Listed Cinderella S. She is a well-bred mare and is a half-sister to Road To Rock. He was a classy and durable galloper winning six-times including the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., G1 George Main S., Listed Carbine Club H., and the Listed Victoria Gold Cup. He then went on to be a successful stallion at Wellfield Lodge in New Zealand most famously leaving the Hong Kong Horse of the Year in Beauty Generation (NZ).
Diva Dee, since producing Capital Diva, has left a yearling colt by Dundeel (NZ), a weanling colt by Dubious was most recently served by Encryption last spring.
Capital Diva was purchased at the sales by P Morgan/Gall Bloodstock for $90,000 at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Eureka Stud.
Looking Back
Earth God (Written Tycoon) and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) were both very impressive winners at Geelong, both were owned by Yu Long Investments and won in great fashion.
Shelstein (Written Tycoon) ran a solid race at Goulburn for third, it looks like a maiden win is not far away.
